While pulling weeds today my foot fell into a hole. I jumped back and poked
around it finding it "hollow" underneath. I got the shovel and started
digging, and found a void about 2 feet wide and 1 foot deep. There is no
evidence of animal life in it, nor is there any debris.

1. How worried should I be? It is near the pillar supporting the post,
about 3 feet away, and about 10 feet from the foundation.

2. Should I leave it open and "watch" it or should I panic and call an
engineer or geologist or something?

The house is over 100 years old. There is no apparent drain pipe in that
area, although I'm told the previous owner put some kind of exterior French
drain around the house at some point. This is Baltimore, theoretically clay
soil, although the soil in the hole is soft and sandy. It has been VERY
rainy for the last 2 years.

EGADS! PANIC! HELP!

Call these folks and ask what to do...
http://www.mde.state.md.us/ContactUs/index.asp

For information about this, search google.com for the following words...
sinkholes Maryland



"Betsy" wrote in message
While pulling weeds today my foot fell into a hole. I jumped back and
poked
around it finding it "hollow" underneath. I got the shovel and started
digging, and found a void about 2 feet wide and 1 foot deep. There is no
evidence of animal life in it, nor is there any debris.

1. How worried should I be? It is near the pillar supporting the post,
about 3 feet away, and about 10 feet from the foundation.

2. Should I leave it open and "watch" it or should I panic and call an
engineer or geologist or something?

The house is over 100 years old. There is no apparent drain pipe in that
area, although I'm told the previous owner put some kind of exterior
French
drain around the house at some point. This is Baltimore, theoretically
clay
soil, although the soil in the hole is soft and sandy. It has been VERY
rainy for the last 2 years.

EGADS! PANIC! HELP!

In article , "Betsy" -0
wrote:

While pulling weeds today my foot fell into a hole. I jumped back and poked
around it finding it "hollow" underneath. I got the shovel and started
digging, and found a void about 2 feet wide and 1 foot deep. There is no
evidence of animal life in it, nor is there any debris.

1. How worried should I be? It is near the pillar supporting the post,
about 3 feet away, and about 10 feet from the foundation.

2. Should I leave it open and "watch" it or should I panic and call an
engineer or geologist or something?

The house is over 100 years old. There is no apparent drain pipe in that
area, although I'm told the previous owner put some kind of exterior French
drain around the house at some point. This is Baltimore, theoretically clay
soil, although the soil in the hole is soft and sandy. It has been VERY
rainy for the last 2 years.

EGADS! PANIC! HELP!



Fill it in with soil borrowed from elsewhere in the yard and pack it
down tight. See what it looks like a year from now. If it has sunk
again, then it might be time to call someone.

Panic now is totally unnecessary.

--
-JR
Hung like Einstein and smart as a horse
Remove NO SPAM from e-mai address to reply

I have had two like that because buried over tree trunks have decayed out.
I packed dirt in, and expect to have to do it again in a couple years.

Naturally your problem could be entirely different, but it might be the
same.

Betsy screqamed out on the emergency channel:
While pulling weeds today my foot fell into a hole. I jumped back and
poked
around it finding it "hollow" underneath. I got the shovel and started
digging, and found a void about 2 feet wide and 1 foot deep. There is no
evidence of animal life in it, nor is there any debris.
snip
EGADS! PANIC! HELP!

It is probably (but not necessarily) the location of an old tree stump that
has now rotted away. Fill it in. Don't worry about it unless it
re-appears.

Austin

"Betsy" -0 wrote in message ...
While pulling weeds today my foot fell into a hole. I jumped back and poked
around it finding it "hollow" underneath. I got the shovel and started
digging, and found a void about 2 feet wide and 1 foot deep. There is no
evidence of animal life in it, nor is there any debris.

1. How worried should I be? It is near the pillar supporting the post,
about 3 feet away, and about 10 feet from the foundation.

2. Should I leave it open and "watch" it or should I panic and call an
engineer or geologist or something?

The house is over 100 years old. There is no apparent drain pipe in that
area, although I'm told the previous owner put some kind of exterior French
drain around the house at some point. This is Baltimore, theoretically clay
soil, although the soil in the hole is soft and sandy. It has been VERY
rainy for the last 2 years.

EGADS! PANIC! HELP!

Don't panic! This is a very common occurence when tree trunks are
covered over and eventually decay. I step in them all the time. A
true sink hole is almost always much larger than the one you describe
(10+ ft diameter).

Bob S.

"Betsy" -0 wrote in message
...
While pulling weeds today my foot fell into a hole. I jumped back and
poked
around it finding it "hollow" underneath. I got the shovel and started
digging, and found a void about 2 feet wide and 1 foot deep. There is no
evidence of animal life in it, nor is there any debris.

1. How worried should I be? It is near the pillar supporting the post,
about 3 feet away, and about 10 feet from the foundation.

2. Should I leave it open and "watch" it or should I panic and call an
engineer or geologist or something?

The house is over 100 years old. There is no apparent drain pipe in that
area, although I'm told the previous owner put some kind of exterior
French
drain around the house at some point. This is Baltimore, theoretically
clay
soil, although the soil in the hole is soft and sandy. It has been VERY
rainy for the last 2 years.

EGADS! PANIC! HELP!



Is it possible there could have been a septic tank or dry well near there ?
Old metal tanks rot thru and dirt will wash down in them. Even if you have
community sewer system now there could have been a septic system years back
consider the age you noted. If so, it's just a case of filling it in or for
particular folks, digging it out and then refilling. Ten feet from a
foundation is not an unusual place for a septic tank - and the pillar / post
could have been added later.

"Betsy" -0 wrote in message
...
While pulling weeds today my foot fell into a hole. I jumped back and
poked
around it finding it "hollow" underneath. I got the shovel and started
digging, and found a void about 2 feet wide and 1 foot deep. There is no
evidence of animal life in it, nor is there any debris.

1. How worried should I be? It is near the pillar supporting the post,
about 3 feet away, and about 10 feet from the foundation.

2. Should I leave it open and "watch" it or should I panic and call an
engineer or geologist or something?

The house is over 100 years old. There is no apparent drain pipe in that
area, although I'm told the previous owner put some kind of exterior
French
drain around the house at some point. This is Baltimore, theoretically
clay
soil, although the soil in the hole is soft and sandy. It has been VERY
rainy for the last 2 years.

EGADS! PANIC! HELP!



Two words: Jimmy Hoffa. ;-)

DA

"Betsy" wrote in message
While pulling weeds today my foot fell into a hole. I jumped back and
poked
around it finding it "hollow" underneath. I got the shovel and started
digging, and found a void about 2 feet wide and 1 foot deep. There is no
evidence of animal life in it, nor is there any debris.

1. How worried should I be? It is near the pillar supporting the post,
about 3 feet away, and about 10 feet from the foundation.

2. Should I leave it open and "watch" it or should I panic and call an
engineer or geologist or something?

The house is over 100 years old. There is no apparent drain pipe in that
area, although I'm told the previous owner put some kind of exterior
French
drain around the house at some point. This is Baltimore, theoretically
clay
soil, although the soil in the hole is soft and sandy. It has been VERY
rainy for the last 2 years.

EGADS! PANIC! HELP!

No need to panic. I once had something similar. As I kept opening the top
layer of soil, a tunnel was revealed. Seems some smidgets from over 200
years ago built a smidget town underground. The city beneath the soil was
approx. 8 acres, there was evidence of tribal gatherings around a small
underground river near a railroad. Enjoy it b/4 someone fills it in.

In article
,
"Jon Zone" wrote:

"Betsy" wrote in message
While pulling weeds today my foot fell into a hole. I jumped back and
poked
around it finding it "hollow" underneath. I got the shovel and started
digging, and found a void about 2 feet wide and 1 foot deep. There is no
evidence of animal life in it, nor is there any debris.

1. How worried should I be? It is near the pillar supporting the post,
about 3 feet away, and about 10 feet from the foundation.

2. Should I leave it open and "watch" it or should I panic and call an
engineer or geologist or something?

The house is over 100 years old. There is no apparent drain pipe in that
area, although I'm told the previous owner put some kind of exterior
French
drain around the house at some point. This is Baltimore, theoretically
clay
soil, although the soil in the hole is soft and sandy. It has been VERY
rainy for the last 2 years.

EGADS! PANIC! HELP!

No need to panic. I once had something similar. As I kept opening the top
layer of soil, a tunnel was revealed. Seems some smidgets from over 200
years ago built a smidget town underground. The city beneath the soil was
approx. 8 acres, there was evidence of tribal gatherings around a small
underground river near a railroad. Enjoy it b/4 someone fills it in.


I want some of whatever you're smoking, drinking, snorting or eating.

--
-JR
Hung like Einstein and smart as a horse
Remove NO SPAM from e-mai address to reply

Call a local engineer...pick his brain for FREE.
He may have historical information about the soil characteristics in the
neighborhood.
Better to be safe than sorry.

"Bill" wrote in message
...
Call these folks and ask what to do...
http://www.mde.state.md.us/ContactUs/index.asp

For information about this, search google.com for the following words...
sinkholes Maryland



"Betsy" wrote in message
While pulling weeds today my foot fell into a hole. I jumped back and
poked
around it finding it "hollow" underneath. I got the shovel and started
digging, and found a void about 2 feet wide and 1 foot deep. There is
no
evidence of animal life in it, nor is there any debris.

1. How worried should I be? It is near the pillar supporting the post,
about 3 feet away, and about 10 feet from the foundation.

2. Should I leave it open and "watch" it or should I panic and call an
engineer or geologist or something?

The house is over 100 years old. There is no apparent drain pipe in
that
area, although I'm told the previous owner put some kind of exterior
French
drain around the house at some point. This is Baltimore, theoretically
clay
soil, although the soil in the hole is soft and sandy. It has been VERY
rainy for the last 2 years.

EGADS! PANIC! HELP!

Betsy wrote:
While pulling weeds today my foot fell into a hole. I jumped back and poked
around it finding it "hollow" underneath. I got the shovel and started
digging, and found a void about 2 feet wide and 1 foot deep. There is no
evidence of animal life in it, nor is there any debris.

Faugh. That's nothing.

1. How worried should I be? It is near the pillar supporting the post,
about 3 feet away, and about 10 feet from the foundation.

I wouldn't worry at all, if the foundation isn't cracking and the nearby
post remains plumb.

2. Should I leave it open and "watch" it or should I panic and call an
engineer or geologist or something?

Nah. Fill it in.

The house is over 100 years old. There is no apparent drain pipe in that
area, although I'm told the previous owner put some kind of exterior French
drain around the house at some point. This is Baltimore, theoretically clay
soil, although the soil in the hole is soft and sandy. It has been VERY
rainy for the last 2 years.

Well, soil does change characteristics over time. It isn't stone! The
french drain idea does sound like a possibility. We have a similar hole,
about 2' across and originally some 3-4' deep, which was located
immediately under a garden wall. It's likely some sort of washed-out dry
well, I'd guess.

We've been using it for yard waste for a while, now, especially the
junkier stuff, short of weeds, that you don't want to compost. I
recently used the chipper on a bunch of pruning offal and the chips went
in the hole, filling it up to the top for now. (Next year it'll probably
need a little more, as that composts in place and settles.)

Sinkholes are formed when the underlying soil dissolves away due to
excessive water in the area.
The underlying soil is being acted on by water leaching into the area from a
direct source (underground pipe is broken) or an indirect source (runoff
from an uphill source). You mentioned that you've had lots of rain over the
past 2 years & it's near a fence post. If your back-fill soil wasn't packed
well when the post was installed, then over time, the soil around the post
(I'm assuming there's a concrete base around the post) could be slowly
dissolving away. Enlarge the area until you excavate to more solid soil,
back-fill with a clay-based soil (no gravel or organic top soil), pack well
every 6 inches of fill, and keep working the clay-based soil into the hole
untill filled.

If you should, upon excavation of the area, notice that the water has
undermined a considerably larger area than a few feet, and that the soil
consistency is becoming sandy or crumbly, then I'd call in an company to
help with the matter. They could then determine the extent of the damage
and advise you further. Good luck!!!
"Betsy" -0 wrote in message
...
While pulling weeds today my foot fell into a hole. I jumped back and
poked
around it finding it "hollow" underneath. I got the shovel and started
digging, and found a void about 2 feet wide and 1 foot deep. There is no
evidence of animal life in it, nor is there any debris.

1. How worried should I be? It is near the pillar supporting the post,
about 3 feet away, and about 10 feet from the foundation.

2. Should I leave it open and "watch" it or should I panic and call an
engineer or geologist or something?

The house is over 100 years old. There is no apparent drain pipe in that
area, although I'm told the previous owner put some kind of exterior
French
drain around the house at some point. This is Baltimore, theoretically
clay
soil, although the soil in the hole is soft and sandy. It has been VERY
rainy for the last 2 years.

EGADS! PANIC! HELP!

thanks. This is a very helpful reply. And thanks to the others as well.

Last night we had another 4" of rain! The hole isn't deeper, but along one
side it seems to be slightly undercut.

What if I poured a bucket of water in and watched it drain? Or filled it up
with water from the hose? Would that be telling me anything significant?

"evolutionman 2004" wrote in message
k.net...
Sinkholes are formed when the underlying soil dissolves away due to
excessive water in the area.
The underlying soil is being acted on by water leaching into the area from
a
direct source (underground pipe is broken) or an indirect source (runoff
from an uphill source). You mentioned that you've had lots of rain over
the
past 2 years & it's near a fence post. If your back-fill soil wasn't
packed
well when the post was installed, then over time, the soil around the post
(I'm assuming there's a concrete base around the post) could be slowly
dissolving away. Enlarge the area until you excavate to more solid soil,
back-fill with a clay-based soil (no gravel or organic top soil), pack
well
every 6 inches of fill, and keep working the clay-based soil into the hole
untill filled.

If you should, upon excavation of the area, notice that the water has
undermined a considerably larger area than a few feet, and that the soil
consistency is becoming sandy or crumbly, then I'd call in an company to
help with the matter. They could then determine the extent of the damage
and advise you further. Good luck!!!
"Betsy" -0 wrote in message
...
While pulling weeds today my foot fell into a hole. I jumped back and
poked
around it finding it "hollow" underneath. I got the shovel and started
digging, and found a void about 2 feet wide and 1 foot deep. There is
no
evidence of animal life in it, nor is there any debris.

1. How worried should I be? It is near the pillar supporting the post,
about 3 feet away, and about 10 feet from the foundation.

2. Should I leave it open and "watch" it or should I panic and call an
engineer or geologist or something?

The house is over 100 years old. There is no apparent drain pipe in
that
area, although I'm told the previous owner put some kind of exterior
French
drain around the house at some point. This is Baltimore, theoretically
clay
soil, although the soil in the hole is soft and sandy. It has been VERY
rainy for the last 2 years.

EGADS! PANIC! HELP!